Four New York men have been convicted of plotting to blow up synagogues and shoot down US military aircraft after a trial hinging on the testimony of a paid FBI informant, the Federal prosecutor's office said. James Cromitie and three others had been accused of wanting to destroy the Jewish house of worship and a Jewish community centre in the Bronx, as well as to fire Stinger missiles at planes at a nearby Air National Guard base. They face sentences of up to life in prison. Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen were arrested on May 20, 2009 in a dramatic scene when they had just planted what they believed to be explosives at their targets. The bombs were duds and the gang was under surveillance throughout.